Property
50 charming rooms and suites in a 17th century country house set in 63 acres of beautiful Hampshire parkland. Families will be happiest in the executive suite (which has a bedroom and separate sitting room with pull out couch). Lainston House has huge bathrooms and wonderful bathtubs. The grounds are breathtaking, particularly the courtyard entrance and the mile-long lawned avenue of lime trees. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff here. We particularly loved being given goody bags filled with fruit, water, and cookies for the journey on check out.

Location
Minutes from Winchester, and within easy driving distance of Salisbury, Stonehenge, and the New Forest.

Sleeps
2-5.

Highlights
On a nice day, order a luxury picnic hamper from the kitchen, borrow a blanket, and picnic on the grounds. The nearby riverside village of Stockbridge makes an excellent (if a little fish-centric) day out. You can watch the fish from streams that run under the high street, feed them from bridges (shops sell food), and read poems about them engraved in the sidewalk. Then if you like you can go eat them with chips in one of the village’s many excellent pubs. Stockbridge also has plenty of ducks, antique shops, and art galleries.

Good to know
Most people don’t bring their children here, but they are welcome. The restaurant has a children’s menu, which is not what you’d expect from such a posh place. If exposing the other dining room patrons to your children seems dicey, order up some room service (we recommend champagne with that). Lainston House is liberal with room upgrades subject to availability, so breathe deeply, smile, and ask.

Contact
www.lainstonhouse.com

Written by Jamie Pearson